Council approves series of contracts and purchases, including transit facility services and two buses
February 10, 2026 | DeKalb City, DeKalb County, Illinois
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DeKalb City Council approved a package of contracts, equipment purchases and ordinance changes during its Feb. 9 meeting.
The council voted to authorize an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Stantec Architecture, Inc. for construction administration services related to the transit maintenance and operations facility in an amount not to exceed $550,000. The City Manager said all funding for the amendment and the transit center construction will come from IDOT and Federal Transit Administration capital grants. The resolution was moved, seconded and adopted by roll call.
Council also approved Resolution 2026-18 to purchase two buses from Gillig LLC in an amount not to exceed $1,372,706 (about $686,000 per bus). City staff and the transit manager explained hybrid and electric options were considered but remain significantly more expensive; hybrids were described as roughly $900,000 each and full-electric models near $1.5 million when available. Council members discussed the trade-offs between cost and sustainability before approving the purchase.
Other approved items included purchase of a 2026 Ford F-250 XL crew cab for municipal use not to exceed $55,535.63, and a 5,005-gallon Skymark jet-A refueler for Taylor Municipal Airport not to exceed $302,650 paid from the airport fund. The council approved a contract for National Bridge Inspection Standard inspections not to exceed $35,000 to inspect 10 identified bridges and passed a $35,000 motor-fuel-tax supplemental appropriation to fund related engineering services.
The council further authorized aviation and storage tank liability insurance through the vendor listed in the packet for an amount not to exceed $35,811, and approved updates to the Unified Development Ordinance concerning signage in multifamily and the Central Business District. A number of routine consent items, minutes and financial reports were approved as part of the consent agenda.
Each item was moved, seconded and adopted by roll call during the meeting; the packet and staff presentations provided the background, specified funding sources where noted (for example, transit grants and airport fund), and identified affected departments.
The council voted to authorize an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Stantec Architecture, Inc. for construction administration services related to the transit maintenance and operations facility in an amount not to exceed $550,000. The City Manager said all funding for the amendment and the transit center construction will come from IDOT and Federal Transit Administration capital grants. The resolution was moved, seconded and adopted by roll call.
Council also approved Resolution 2026-18 to purchase two buses from Gillig LLC in an amount not to exceed $1,372,706 (about $686,000 per bus). City staff and the transit manager explained hybrid and electric options were considered but remain significantly more expensive; hybrids were described as roughly $900,000 each and full-electric models near $1.5 million when available. Council members discussed the trade-offs between cost and sustainability before approving the purchase.
Other approved items included purchase of a 2026 Ford F-250 XL crew cab for municipal use not to exceed $55,535.63, and a 5,005-gallon Skymark jet-A refueler for Taylor Municipal Airport not to exceed $302,650 paid from the airport fund. The council approved a contract for National Bridge Inspection Standard inspections not to exceed $35,000 to inspect 10 identified bridges and passed a $35,000 motor-fuel-tax supplemental appropriation to fund related engineering services.
The council further authorized aviation and storage tank liability insurance through the vendor listed in the packet for an amount not to exceed $35,811, and approved updates to the Unified Development Ordinance concerning signage in multifamily and the Central Business District. A number of routine consent items, minutes and financial reports were approved as part of the consent agenda.
Each item was moved, seconded and adopted by roll call during the meeting; the packet and staff presentations provided the background, specified funding sources where noted (for example, transit grants and airport fund), and identified affected departments.
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